Photo from Tompkins Square Park in 2018 by Stacie Joy
East Village-based artist and activist Agosto Machado, a longtime figure in the Downtown art scene, died Saturday following a brief illness.
His age was not disclosed. As ArtNET reported: "Speaking of his decision never to publicly share his birth year last year, Machado said, 'A lady never tells.'"
Machado was known for his shrine-like sculptures honoring friends, collaborators and members of the queer community — many of whom were lost during the AIDS crisis — helping preserve stories and histories often left undocumented.
An active participant in the 1969 Stonewall uprising and the Gay Liberation Movement, Machado described himself as a "pre-Stonewall street queen" and remained closely tied to the city's creative and activist communities for decades.
There are many tributes to Machado on Instagram, including...
Machado has a piece in the Whitney Biennial 2026, up through Aug. 23.
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